Due to his engagement AFN stations in Austria were named "Blue Danube Network", contrary to the common naming conventions for Army stations (as e.g. "AFN-Vienna").

Being a friend of Austria, General Clark also effortlessly engaged in showing the country's self-reliance, also it's treatment within the US Army. It was him also, who organised for the foundation of a special newspaper, the "USFA Sentinel", in addition to the "Stars and Stripes". He also designed the USFA insignee - a red-white-red striped shield with blue sword and olive branch (the sword representing the protection offered by the US Army to Austria in its struggle for freedom and independence, the olive branch implying the USFA's aim to preserve peace).

Having entered the Army in 1942,- Lt. Col. Boepple attended OCS at Fort Lee, Va., in 1943.

During World War II, as radio officer for USAFFE and SCAP, the colonel was in charge of Armed Forces Radio Service operations in the Philippines, Japan and Korea. In November, 1945, he was named officer in charge of radio for the entire Civil I&E Division under Gen Ken R. Dyke, with the assigned mission of democratizing Radio Tokyo and the Broadcasting Corporation of Japan.

He left the Service in 1946, only to be recalled as a major in 1948. In civilian life, Boepple was advertising director for Nestle's Inc., supervising all ads and promotional activities in the United States and Canada for Nescafe and other Nestle products.

From 1951 until July 1954 Graf A. Boepple was Station Commander of the BDN - his successor at BDN was Edgar L. Tidwell.

Lt Col Edgar Tidwell arrived at BDN on June 20, 1945 from the US to succeed Lt Graf A. Boepple, former OIC of the Blue Danube Networ.

Colonel Tidwell attended San Diego State College and was employed by the Mutual Broacasting System before entering the Army in 1940. He served as operations chief of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service in Los Angeles in the two years prior to joining USFA. He left the Service in 1946 to manage Station KSDJ in San Diego, Ca. and was recalled as a major in July, 1948.

In addition to his studies at San Diego State, the colonel attendded the Infantry School at Fort Benning in 1941. During World War II, he participated in the Papuan, New Guinea, and Luzon Campaigns. He also served in the occupation of Japan after WW II.

(Source: The USFA Sentinel)

Floyd H. Willey came to Austria when the first radio trailer came to Salzburg from Italy in September1945.

In June 1946 he was discharged from the army and became chief announcer for the new network. Later he was appointed Program Director and this was followed by his appointment as Chief of Operations. In January 1949 he was appointed chief of the network.

Under his direction the network offered an average of 325 programs a week, being on the air 18 hours daily except Sunday, when the airtime was cut one hour. Not only thousands of Americans in this area enjoyed the BDN programs but also letters from behind the iron curtain were received and from hundreds of Austrians who indicated their daily interest in the USFA programs.

Mr Willey was host to such famous radio personalities as Wallace Beery, Tyrone Power, Linda Christian, Father Flannigan of Boys Town and James Roosevelt, who appeared on local programs with him in this six years.